


The Rain's Gonna Wash Away I Believe It

by irontardisonmars



Category: Doctor Who RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-21
Updated: 2013-12-28
Packaged: 2018-01-02 05:27:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1053037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irontardisonmars/pseuds/irontardisonmars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They’ve been in Utah for two days now and in those two days, he’s not managed to get more than a wink of sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's 3am I Must Be Lonely

**Author's Note:**

> So, I started this fic like... wayyyy back in the summer. I'm still working on it, but I think if I post bits of it at a time, I'll actually get it done. Having lived in Utah all my life, this is my take of how filming here may have gone. Let me know what you guys think! :) 
> 
> Story Title from Matchbox Twenty's "3AM."

**Chapter 1**

Matt rolls over in his bed and sighs, glancing at his alarm clock. It’s 2:50 in the morning. Grumbling, he sits up, running his hands down over his face. 

They’ve been in Utah for two days now and in those two days, he’s not managed to get more than a wink of sleep. With another sigh, he pulls on a pair of joggers, a sweatshirt, and his trainers before padding to the door of his hotel room.

Outside on the dark streets of Moab, he breathes in the fresh, cool morning air, enjoying the feeling of being completely alone. As much as he loves the fans of Doctor Who, sometimes it’s nice to be able to walk a city street without the fear of being ambushed, or at the very least, photographed. 

He walks to a nearby park and stretches out on one of the cleaner picnic tables, gazing up at the stars above him. The sight never fails to take his breath away. Out here, in the middle of the desert, he can see almost everything the night sky has to offer; the Cygnus Rift, the edges of the Milky Way, and countless stars and planets. It’s a sight he doesn’t get to see in London.

Mind wandering on thoughts of other life in the Universe and feeling almost insignificant in the vastness of it all, Matt doesn’t realize how long he’s been lying out on the table until he notices the stars begin to set and a pink hue on the horizon. 

“Damn,” He mutters to himself, hopping off the table to start the long walk back to the hotel, “looks like it’s going to be another long day today, Smith.”

At least he doesn’t have to be on set until later. 

Rounding the corner to the hotel, Matt notices the light in the room with a window two away from his flick off. 

Mentally going through who is staying in which room, he realizes that it must’ve been Alex who had turned off her light. 

She must have had trouble sleeping too. 

For some reason, that thought makes him smile as he walks up the stairs to his room, unlocking the door before walking into the room and flopping down on the bed, hoping to get at least a few hours of sleep before he has to leave for filming. 

\---  
Alex had had trouble sleeping ever since they had arrived in Utah. She could never sleep well in hotels. She turned over on her side, staring at the alarm clock, willing it to read something other than 2:50 in the morning. Sighing, she rolled back over and grabbed a pillow, slapping it over her face, on the verge of screaming into it in frustration when she heard a door close in the hallway. 

She tiptoes over to the door and silently cracks it open a bit to peer out down the hall, catching a glimpse of Matt’s back as he rounds the corner to the lifts. 

Curiosity piqued, she quickly puts on her trainers and a sweatshirt (luckily she had been sleeping in longer joggers) before following after him. 

Once on the ground floor of the hotel, she allows Matt to get far enough ahead so that he won’t notice her before setting off into the night herself. 

She’s always quite liked the quieter parts of Utah, very peaceful, not too many fans willing to make the trek all the way out into the middle of the desert. The ones that are, however, are usually very nice so she doesn’t mind signing a few autographs. 

There are no fans out at this time of night, thankfully. She couldn’t imagine what they would think about seeing her without her hair or makeup done. 

Chuckling silently at the thought, she continues to watch Matt up ahead, admiring his long, almost graceful gait, while wondering how he can be so graceful and yet so clumsy. 

Matt enters the gate to the park and Alex stops, watching him through the fence as he hops onto a picnic table, stretching out to look at the stars. 

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she longs to stretch out next to him, allowing him to wrap his arm around her shoulder as she pillows her head against his chest and they gaze at the night sky together. Allowing herself to be lost in these daydreams, she doesn’t realize how long she’s been standing there watching him watch the stars until Matt moves to get off the table. Quickly shaking the thoughts from her mind, she jogs back to the hotel, taking a different route so Matt won’t see her.  
\---  
Later that day, they are filming the scenes of the Ponds meeting the Doctor in Monument Valley, along the side of Route 163. Still somewhat tired from his restless night, Matt lounges back on the 1950 Edsel Villager and dozes a bit. 

He feels somebody nudge his foot and grumbles, cracking one eye open beneath his sunglasses. 

“Kingston.” He mutters, voice still somewhat groggy with sleep. 

She quirks an eyebrow. “Now dear, is that anyway to talk to your wife? Scoot over.”

Shaking the cobwebs from his mind, he scoots over a bit on the hood of the car and she climbs up next to him. 

“How are you today, Kingston?” 

Alex shakes her head in reply. “A bit tired. I don’t sleep well in hotels. Never have.” 

“Ah, yes. I was meaning to ask you about that! I saw your light was on earlier this morning. Way earlier this morning.” 

Alex felt the need to play along, even though she knew damn well how and why he had seen the light in her room turned on. “How could you have seen that?”

Realizing what he had said moments ago, Matt falters a bit. “Well, I just went for a walk outside. Couldn’t sleep myself, you know.” 

“Hmm,” Alex hums, “perhaps we should keep each other company on these late, sleepless nights.”

Matt flushes right down to his toes. He can feel the heat burning in his face and ears. 

“Oh, not like that, dear. Honestly.” 

Sometimes he could flirt up a storm, but then others it was like she was talking to a twelve year old who was petrified by the slightest hint of a sexual subject. Bless. 

“Well… in that case…” Matt clears his throat. “I’ll keep that in mind!”

Just then, Matt is called to do another take of the Doctor jumping off the car in excitement upon seeing the Ponds, so Alex slides off the car and pats Matt’s hand. “You’d better. I look forward to your late night call.”

Grinning, he tips his Stetson at her in reply. 

If she thinks about that grin with a smile on her face the rest of the day, she can’t be blamed.


	2. She Says It's Cold Outside and She Hands Me a Raincoat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s cold outside, darling. I thought you might need this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title is, again, from 3AM by Matchbox 20. 
> 
> Also, thank you guys for all the notes thus far! I hope you continue to enjoy the story. :)

**Chapter 2**

The next night brings the same restlessness and Matt tosses and turns, debating taking Alex up on her offer. He knows the idea is ridiculous so he once again puts on his joggers, trainers, and a shirt. He cannot, however, find his hoodie to save his life. 

Giving up, he decides that he’ll just run in an attempt to keep warm. He’ll be fine. 

Reaching for the door to pull it open, he is greeted by a mass of curly hair. 

“A-Alex?” he stutters and she turns around, holding up a hoodie. 

“It’s cold outside, darling. I thought you might need this.” She smirks, the look on her face almost wicked. 

He takes the hoodie from her outstretched hand and unfolds it, reading the words; ‘MOAB, UTAH’ imprinted on the front of the dark blue cotton. To be honest, it’s a decent looking hoodie. 

“How did you know I needed this?”

She winks and turns on her heel, heading back to her own hotel room. “Just a feeling, darling.”

Matt knits his brows together and sighs. “ _When_ did you get it then?” 

Having unlocked her door by now, she leans out and flashes him a smile. “You’ll never know, darling.” 

“But how did yo--?”

“Know it was cold outside?” She cuts him off, motioning to her own outfit. “Been out there myself. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She turns on her heel and closes the door behind her leaving Matt somewhat bewildered outside in the hallway. 

Deciding he will never know the ways behind Alex Kingston, he shrugs, tugging on the hoodie before heading outside. 

\---

Alex shuts the door behind her and slumps against it, releasing the breath she had been holding ever since she left Matt in the hallway. 

Once her breath is caught, she moves to her window and watches Matt as he jogs past, possibly on his way to the park again. Some part of her wants to go out there and jog with him, but she knows that would never happen. Why would he want her company? If he really wanted it, he would have asked her. 

Shrugging, she heads into her room and smiles a bit as she sees his old ratty hoodie draped across the chair in the corner of the bedroom. She had nicked it from his trailer earlier that day in the hopes that by giving him a new hoodie, he would ask her to join him on his early morning excursions. 

At least she would have a better chance of crossing his mind every time he wore that hoodie.

\---

The hoodie smells like Alex. 

That fact alone makes concentrating on running or even walking extremely difficult. He more or less trips his way down the streets of Moab, wondering how on earth her smell could have entwined itself with an article of clothing in what he guesses was only a few hours. 

Had she washed the damn thing using only her perfume? Had she hung it up and emptied countless bottles of the perfume onto it, cackling all the while? Had she rolled around in it and nothing else an---

Matt shakes his head, stopping his thoughts there. He couldn’t think of Alex like that. She was his friend, no matter how much of a witch she seemed to be at this very moment. 

On his way back to the hotel, he stops at the park to stargaze once again. It is definitely something he will miss once he gets back to London, so he wants to take in the sight as often as he can before he leaves. 

He names all the constellations and galaxies in his head; Andromeda, Aries, Scorpius, Orion, Ursa Major… 

It is nearly impossible to name every single star he can see in the night sky and he smiles at the thought until his eyes settle on Cassiopeia.

He knows the Greek myth of Cassiopeia, of course; a queen placed in the sky as punishment for claiming her daughter was more beautiful than the Nereids and forced to cling to her throne so she does not fall off as she was thrown around the North Celestial Pole.

Cassiopeia, a queen who boasted about her unrivaled beauty. Alex Kingston, a queen in her own right with unrivaled beauty. 

Damn it. 

Groaning, he turns so he is face down on the tabletop and sighs. God, she must really be a witch. Either that or he is a pervert. 

Probably the latter. 

Pushing himself up off the table, he walks carefully back to the hotel, willing away the thoughts of Alex currently causing warm stirrings in his belly. 

When he gets back to the hotel and manages to fall asleep, his dreams are permeated with thoughts of Alex. Some dreams are more modest than others, but when he wakes the next morning, he finds himself half-hard in a bed smelling just as strong, if not stronger, than the hoodie she had given him. 

God, had she somehow managed to sleep in his bed too? 

He honestly cannot believe the rapid change his body and mind have taken to Alex recently. He’s not sure how she’s done it or if she’s doing it in purpose, but he supposes that if she is doing it on purpose, two can play at that game. 

\---

The next day, they are doing some takes of Karen running through the back roads of Monument Valley in a place called Valley of the Gods. They are also doing the takes of Amy and Rory getting off the school bus, so Matt and Alex aren’t needed for much. They are, however, still called onto set in case it’s decided that retakes must be done. 

For the majority of the day, Matt and Alex walk around the set together as they wait, Matt taking pictures of the vast Utah landscape with his DSLR and Alex snapping random photos on her phone. Later on, they sit on the back of one of the trailers, talking about work, Salome, the States, England, tea… anything and everything to help pass the time. Of course, Matt does question Alex a few times on the identity of River, offering her basically everything in exchange for just a snippet of information. Whenever he manages to slip a question in, she just throws back her head and laughs a deep laugh that sends a shiver down his spine and simply says, “Spoilers!” 

She is infuriating. And he will get her back, especially because she smells so good sitting next to him, even though he’s purposely put some distance between them on the tail of the trailer. 

Eventually, it is decided that they need to do another take of River’s big entrance into the episode after she shoots off the Doctor’s hat.

Matt watches for a moment as they rehearse, Alex steps in at just the right angle to block out the sun before blowing on the muzzle of the smoking gun she holds in her hand and holstering it. If he thought that was bad, when she practically purrs the words, “Hello, Sweetie,” it is almost his undoing. 

Pushing himself off the back of the trailer, he decides it’s probably a good idea to do something distracting, lest he make a fool of himself right there in the middle of the Utah desert. He finds Arthur and Karen who have been watching him from afar. They both wear matching smirks on their faces as he approaches. 

Matt huffs. “What?”

Karen holds up her hands in protest. “Nothing, just you know… young love.”

“Young l—“ he shakes his head. “Kaz, what are you getting at?”

Smirking again, she shrugs. “Nothing, idiot.”

He looks over at Arthur. “Darvill, what is she on about?”

Arthur puts a look of indifference on his face and shrugs. “Nothing, mate. Absolutely nothing.”

Matt rolls his eyes and picks a piece of tumbleweed off his jacket before putting it in Karen’s hair. “Fine, keep your secrets, Moonface.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt feels a bit braver tonight and summoning up his courage, he walks down the hall and knocks softly on Alex’s door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken me so long to update... finals and all that kinda got in the way. Anyway, enjoy. :) Hopefully the chapters from here on will start getting a little longer.

**Chapter 3**

As usual, sleep does not find him easily that night, especially because his sheets still smell like Alex. He’s not sure why he even tries to sleep anymore. It’s around 1:30 in the morning again before he finally wills himself off his bed, into his exercise clothes (including the hoodie Alex had given him. He tried to look for another so he wouldn’t be so distracted, but it seemed that all of his hoodies had taken a leave of absence), and out the door. 

As he reaches to open the door, however, he feels a bit braver tonight and summoning up his courage, he walks down the hall and knocks softly on Alex’s door. He hears her stumble around in there before she opens it, peeking her head out around the door, a small smile spreading across her face. “Hello, darling.”

He smiles, ducking his head a little. “Hey Alex. Um… I was wondering if you’d want to walk with me this morning. I can’t sleep, obviously, and I’d enjoy the company.”

“I thought you’d never ask, darling.”

She throws the door open a little more, revealing that she too is in exercise clothes: yoga pants, a loose sweatshirt, and trainers.

Matt smiles at the sight and holds out his arm. “Shall we, Kingston?”

Answering his smile with one of her own, she links arms with him. “We shall, darling.”

They unlink arms as they reach the front door of the hotel and push open the doors. The air around them is colder than is has been the past few nights and they both shiver a bit as they step out into the night.

To help take her mind off the cold, Alex asks, “Where do you normally go on your little morning walks?”

Matt shrugs, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I usually walk around town a bit, you know… wherever my legs take me. I usually end up at a little park just down this street though.”

Nudging him slightly, Alex looks up at him. “Is the playground too much for you to resist?”

Matt presses a hand to his chest and feigns a look of offense. “Please, Kingston. This face here may look young, but I assure you I am a fully-functioning adult.”

She smirks. “I think the broken props and constant tripping over your own limbs might suggest otherwise, dear.”

He casts her a look and she chuckles. “Fine, if you’re not playing on the playground, what do you really do here?”

“Well, if you must know, I like to look at the stars.”

“The stars?”

“Yeah, you know… you can’t see many of the stars that you can see out here in London.” He shrugs. “I kinda like it, I guess.”

Intrigued, she tilts her head up and looks at him. “I never figured you for the astronomer type.”

Matt barks out a laugh. “I wouldn’t necessarily call it that. It’s more or less of a hobby.” 

Looking down, Matt meets her eyes. “Would you like me to show you the stars Kingston?”

“Sounds kinky.” She answers, eyebrow quirked.

“Naughty, Kingston.” He smiles. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. Here,” he says, rounding the gate to the park, “let me show you.”

He hops up on one of the tables and pats the spot next to him.

Hesitantly, Alex climbs up onto the table and settles into his side, head pillowed against his arm. He is warm against her and she inhales softly, attempting to calm her nerves and breathing in the scent she has come to associate with Matt. 

Matt finally speaks. It startles her slightly and she grabs his hand as a reflex. He looks down at their joined hands and smiles before continuing on, talking about the various constellations, the stories behind them, anything and everything that he knows about the night sky.

For the majority of the time, Alex finds herself simply listening to the sound of his voice, watching him talk and observing him instead of looking at the sky as he points out the different constellations.

Matt notices that Alex isn’t responding to anything he is saying and has curled a little more into his side, so he turns his head to look at her, wondering if she has fallen asleep. When he does, he is face to face with her, their noses almost touching, her breath hot against his face as she breathes deep, eyes fixed on his. 

“Alex, I-”

Her eyes dart to his mouth as he speaks and she leans in a bit, closing the distance between them as she presses a soft kiss to his lips. He doesn’t respond immediately, but when he does, his kiss is slow and gentle, almost as if he’s not sure this is really happening. 

She opens her mouth slightly under his, giving him permission to deepen the kiss. He does, but only slightly, his kisses almost chaste, as he slowly slides his tongue against hers, groaning a bit as he tastes her for the first time without any cameras or crew around, just the night sky and the cool Utah morning.

Breaking the kiss, he breathes, his breathing hot and ragged as he rests his forehead against hers. “It’s getting late.”

Smiling, she pecks his lips. “I’d say it’s rather early.”

He chuckles and gives her another lingering kiss before moving away, slowly getting up off the table. “Well, Kingston,” he says, holding out a hand. “I think it’s time we get you home, eh? Don’t need your father to come after me with a shotgun.”

Alex quirks her eyebrow at him. “I didn’t know this was a date, darling.”

Matt shrugs. “Never said it was. Never said it wasn’t.”

“You are impossible.”

“I know.”

They walk back to the hotel together, hands joined and swinging between them as they flirt back and forth, comfortable in their usual banter.

When they reach Alex’s door, Matt acts like a nervous teenage boy, scratching the back of his head as he looks at her through his fringe. “I’m um… I’m glad you came with me tonight. It was nice. More than nice, actually, I-”

She cuts him off, bestowing another small kiss on his lips, which he accepts with a smile before pulling back. “You’re welcome, darling. We will do it again sometime.”

He nods. “Sleep well, Kingston.”

“You too, dear.”

She watches as he walks down the hall and opens his own door before closing her own and leaning back against it, a small smile on her face. She isn’t quite sure what has happened tonight, but she doesn’t mind it in the slightest.


End file.
